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Julie and Romeo
A deliciously funny and wickedly sexy novel of love found (finally!) and love threatened (inevitably) by the families who claim to love us best. Romeo Cacciamani and Julie Roseman are rival florists in Boston, whose families have hated each other for as long as anyone can remember (what they can't remember is why). When these two vital, lonely people see each other across a crowded lobby at a small business owners' seminar, an intense attraction blooms that neither tries to squelch. They're not sure what fate has in store for them, but they're not about to let something as silly as a generations-long feud stand in the way of finding out. That is, not until Romeo's octogenarian mother, Julie's meddling ex-husband, and a cast of grown Cacciamani and Roseman children begin to intervene with a passionate hatred that matches their newly found love, stroke for stroke. Think Montagues and Capulets, think wise and witty and thoroughly modern. Julie and Romeo is a love story for the ages.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
88 people are currently reading
2627 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne Ray
35 books292 followersJeanne Ray is the New York Times bestselling author of Julie and Romeo and four other novels. She worked as a registered nurse for forty years before she wrote her first novel at the age of sixty. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and her dog, Red.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 595 reviews
April 3, 2017
I had a ball with these two families. It was a riot. I will have to look into this author more. She made me laugh out loud. It is so nice to read romance about older people.
December 11, 2012
One of my all-time favorites, this is an absolutely charming book that everyone should read.
Julie Roseman is the divorced owner of a small flower shop in a Boston suburb; Romeo Cacciamani runs a competing flower shop on the other side of town. The two families have bitterly hated each other for decades, though no one can recall exactly how the feud started.
When Romeo and Julie run into each other at a business seminar, they discover that not only do they not hate each other, they feel a mutual attraction. But they have to keep their affair secret because their grown children would be scandalized.
Turning the traditional Romeo and Juliet on its head, Jeanne Ray's marvelous story zips along with the wit and elegance of a Shakespearean sonnet. Jeanne Ray's prose is absolutely sublime, and it's laced with humor.
One of the marvels of this story is that the main characters are not twenty-something twits. They're old enough to have grandkids, and prove the old adage that life does indeed begin at forty.
The characters are realistic and you feel you could sit down and talk with them over coffee. I wish I could give this book more than five stars, because it's just so perfect.
It's probably true that literary talent runs in families, because Jeanne Ray is the mother of Ann Patchett, who has written several best sellers. I only wish Jeanne Ray had written more books.
Julie Roseman is the divorced owner of a small flower shop in a Boston suburb; Romeo Cacciamani runs a competing flower shop on the other side of town. The two families have bitterly hated each other for decades, though no one can recall exactly how the feud started.
When Romeo and Julie run into each other at a business seminar, they discover that not only do they not hate each other, they feel a mutual attraction. But they have to keep their affair secret because their grown children would be scandalized.
Turning the traditional Romeo and Juliet on its head, Jeanne Ray's marvelous story zips along with the wit and elegance of a Shakespearean sonnet. Jeanne Ray's prose is absolutely sublime, and it's laced with humor.
One of the marvels of this story is that the main characters are not twenty-something twits. They're old enough to have grandkids, and prove the old adage that life does indeed begin at forty.
The characters are realistic and you feel you could sit down and talk with them over coffee. I wish I could give this book more than five stars, because it's just so perfect.
It's probably true that literary talent runs in families, because Jeanne Ray is the mother of Ann Patchett, who has written several best sellers. I only wish Jeanne Ray had written more books.
January 7, 2014
I read Jeanne Ray's Eat Cake recently, and like all good things, immediately wanted more of Ray's writing. Julie and Romeo is her first novel, published in 2000, and now I wish there were about a dozen more written between then and Eat Cake. Julie is the current owner of a florist shop. Romeo is the hated enemy owner of the rival flower shop. There the fun begins. Absent puffy sleeved velvet breeches, and weird feathered caps, I love this contemporary take on families feuding for generations and star-crossed lovers. That our protagonists are 60 makes it that much more delicious a story. Ray is a delightful writer, and her voice needs to be heard more. Please.
December 20, 2016
I loved Jeanne Ray's wise, witty and thoroughly modern take on Montagues and Capulets. This is a smart, funny, totally refreshing love story. Like the unexpected arrival of a bouquet of flowers.
July 27, 2017
For some reason I thought this was about a young guy and gal. Didn't matter though, I still liked it.
November 30, 2022
Absolutely wonderful romance novel of 60-year-olds in love
The Cacciamanis and the Rosemans, who live in a small town near Boston, have been feuding for three generations, and Julie Roseman has no idea why. Yes, their families each run a florist's shop, but there is plenty of business for both stores. In the process of this feud, 15 years before, Julie's daughter Sandy fell in love with Tony Cacciamani when they were both 16. They were caught trying to elope and their families broke up their relationship. In addition to that, there have been countless vindictive, retaliatory acts on the part of both families over the years, and each side of the feud regards the other as criminal scum.
When Julie married Mort Roth at age 20, her parents and Mort asked her to stop working in the flower shop since they could only afford one employee. Julie worked a few years as a secretary, then became a stay-at home wife and mother to her two daughters for thirty years--until the day when she and Mort were 55, and he dumped her to run off with a 38-year-old woman. At that point Julie's parents were dead, and since they had left the flower shop entirely to Julie, Mort could not demand a piece of it in the divorce.
Julie has taken back her maiden name and has been running the shop the past five years, greatly enjoying the flowers, but struggling with the financial side of the business, both keeping the books and generating capital. At the start of this story, the economy is in a downturn, and Julie's business is barely surviving. In hopes of improving her chances of saving it, she attends a conference for small business owners and meets Romeo Cacciamani in person for the first time. She is amazed to find that she feels no animosity toward this handsome man with kind eyes, and he clearly holds no resentment personally toward her. She had heard from a distance that his wife had died a few years ago, and when she expresses her sympathy, Romeo asks her to have coffee with him. Thus quietly begins a relationship that is a source of wonder and emotional rebirth to the two of them, but is anything but to their respective families. When the Cacciamani and Roseman clans inevitably find out about Julie and Romeo's romance, all hell breaks lose, and everyone from Romeo's 90-year-old mother to Julie's 32-year-old realtor daughter do everything in their power to break up the star-crossed lovers.
This exquisitely written Romeo-and-Juliet tale updated into a contemporary romance between two mature lovers is a joy to read. Though there is a lot of poignancy in the story, it is also filled with wry, ironic humor that is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The author also creates love scenes between her two mature protagonists that are both sensual and incredibly tender. Best of all, the ending of the story is uplifting, triumphant and very, very entertaining.
I loved this book when I read it for the first time many years ago, and it was just as terrific an experience for me the second and third time around.
In short, everything about this book is flawless as far as I'm concerned, and this book is a true keeper.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
The Cacciamanis and the Rosemans, who live in a small town near Boston, have been feuding for three generations, and Julie Roseman has no idea why. Yes, their families each run a florist's shop, but there is plenty of business for both stores. In the process of this feud, 15 years before, Julie's daughter Sandy fell in love with Tony Cacciamani when they were both 16. They were caught trying to elope and their families broke up their relationship. In addition to that, there have been countless vindictive, retaliatory acts on the part of both families over the years, and each side of the feud regards the other as criminal scum.
When Julie married Mort Roth at age 20, her parents and Mort asked her to stop working in the flower shop since they could only afford one employee. Julie worked a few years as a secretary, then became a stay-at home wife and mother to her two daughters for thirty years--until the day when she and Mort were 55, and he dumped her to run off with a 38-year-old woman. At that point Julie's parents were dead, and since they had left the flower shop entirely to Julie, Mort could not demand a piece of it in the divorce.
Julie has taken back her maiden name and has been running the shop the past five years, greatly enjoying the flowers, but struggling with the financial side of the business, both keeping the books and generating capital. At the start of this story, the economy is in a downturn, and Julie's business is barely surviving. In hopes of improving her chances of saving it, she attends a conference for small business owners and meets Romeo Cacciamani in person for the first time. She is amazed to find that she feels no animosity toward this handsome man with kind eyes, and he clearly holds no resentment personally toward her. She had heard from a distance that his wife had died a few years ago, and when she expresses her sympathy, Romeo asks her to have coffee with him. Thus quietly begins a relationship that is a source of wonder and emotional rebirth to the two of them, but is anything but to their respective families. When the Cacciamani and Roseman clans inevitably find out about Julie and Romeo's romance, all hell breaks lose, and everyone from Romeo's 90-year-old mother to Julie's 32-year-old realtor daughter do everything in their power to break up the star-crossed lovers.
This exquisitely written Romeo-and-Juliet tale updated into a contemporary romance between two mature lovers is a joy to read. Though there is a lot of poignancy in the story, it is also filled with wry, ironic humor that is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The author also creates love scenes between her two mature protagonists that are both sensual and incredibly tender. Best of all, the ending of the story is uplifting, triumphant and very, very entertaining.
I loved this book when I read it for the first time many years ago, and it was just as terrific an experience for me the second and third time around.
In short, everything about this book is flawless as far as I'm concerned, and this book is a true keeper.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
April 7, 2021
All of the wit of Shakespeare but with a happily ever after, some very Nancy Meyers vibes, and for two 60 year old protagonists! The story moves along at a good pace, with snappy dialogue and authentic narration from the heroine, Julie Roseman. The story is a romance, and there's a lot of comedy, but the author's best feat is that while you're laughing along, you're also feeling gutted for Julie, who is up against her two daughters as well as her ex-husband. It does not surprise me at all that this author also has a book about a woman of a certain age literally becoming invisible. A Vulture article describes Nancy Meyers movies as having women protagonists who are "outwardly Zen but inwardly flustered women trying to navigate their careers and relationships" and that's exactly who Julie is. Thank goodness she has an amazing best friend, Gloria.
What happened was that over the years I just stopped asking, I stopped trying to confide. If I had a problem, I went to Gloria. If I had a little success that merited celebration, she was the one I called. If it was a failure, a fear, a questionable lump that required someone sitting with me in the doctor’s office for three hours, it was Gloria, not Mort, who was there. Gloria, I knew, would love me unconditionally, as we had loved each other when we were fourteen and there was no one else to love. She told me the truth when I asked for it and sometimes when I didn’t.
Very authentic feeling characters, and a fun story. I loved it.
What happened was that over the years I just stopped asking, I stopped trying to confide. If I had a problem, I went to Gloria. If I had a little success that merited celebration, she was the one I called. If it was a failure, a fear, a questionable lump that required someone sitting with me in the doctor’s office for three hours, it was Gloria, not Mort, who was there. Gloria, I knew, would love me unconditionally, as we had loved each other when we were fourteen and there was no one else to love. She told me the truth when I asked for it and sometimes when I didn’t.
Very authentic feeling characters, and a fun story. I loved it.
April 29, 2015
A fun book about a woman (of mid sixties) who falls in love with a long-time family rival. Light and fun, but not stupid. I like that the main character is older. Not as cliched as I feared it would be.
July 18, 2017
A lovely entertaining read.
April 28, 2021
This is a book you didn’t know you needed, until you begin. I nicked it from my mother’s book shelf this week, recalling that it was lighthearted and fun — plus, a play on Romeo and Juliet, featuring 60 year old rival FLORISTS? C’mon. That’s amazing.
...Well the verdict is in, and yes, it completely tickled my fancy. I loved Julie, and her busy, complicated life as a mother, grandmother, small business owner, divorcée, friend, and woman. She was honest, real, funny, snappy. The book was sprinkled with humour and humorous images (read: 89 year old lady defacing private property) and, of course, the all-time essential twist on the original Shakespeare conclusion: a HAPPY ending.
I do want to point out one thing I’d change — the sheer viciousness of Romeo’s sons. Especially Joe. I did not like that at all. It was too much, too scary... I don’t think I noticed that as strongly my first time through, but this time, it did strike a bit of sour chord.
...Well the verdict is in, and yes, it completely tickled my fancy. I loved Julie, and her busy, complicated life as a mother, grandmother, small business owner, divorcée, friend, and woman. She was honest, real, funny, snappy. The book was sprinkled with humour and humorous images (read: 89 year old lady defacing private property) and, of course, the all-time essential twist on the original Shakespeare conclusion: a HAPPY ending.
I do want to point out one thing I’d change — the sheer viciousness of Romeo’s sons. Especially Joe. I did not like that at all. It was too much, too scary... I don’t think I noticed that as strongly my first time through, but this time, it did strike a bit of sour chord.
March 13, 2014
You want to know the one thing I really wanted to belated advise author Jeanne Ray about? Oh, of course you do.
That is: do not put, on your author statement, that you are Ann Patchett's mom. Really. I don't care what your editors and publisher told you, don't do it. Don't go there. Don't invite me to compare your work to that of your daughter (one of my favorite contemporary novelists). And don't set me up for wondering--yeah, I know, it's fiction, of course you aren't talking about Real Life and your Family and your best friend, even though the best friend in the novel and your best friend are admittedly sharing a name--don't set me up for wondering "hmmm, now is Ann the bitchy daughter or the sloppy one?"
But hey, it's a nice read. It is unthreatening and sweet. There are grandchildren. There are adult daughters. There is an ex husband (how did your Julie ever hook up with that guy?). There are flowers. There are people who, while they apparently run small businesses (into the ground), don't really have to keep business hours or worry their heads about stuff except as it fits the plot.
All of that is typical fun chic lit.
And to have a main character who is a passionate 60 year old woman? Very cool, though I was sort of uncomfortably imagining the reactions of the 20 something readers to the sex scenes. I mean, are they going to react the way I did when my older, 10 year old, bff explained the sex act to me ("NOOOO, our parents would Never Do That!!!")?
And lots of weddings and sort of weddings? Well,isn't that fun?
It's a respectably written fun book, and I will probably look for others by Ray. But..gosh, don't bring your daughter into it, okay?
That is: do not put, on your author statement, that you are Ann Patchett's mom. Really. I don't care what your editors and publisher told you, don't do it. Don't go there. Don't invite me to compare your work to that of your daughter (one of my favorite contemporary novelists). And don't set me up for wondering--yeah, I know, it's fiction, of course you aren't talking about Real Life and your Family and your best friend, even though the best friend in the novel and your best friend are admittedly sharing a name--don't set me up for wondering "hmmm, now is Ann the bitchy daughter or the sloppy one?"
But hey, it's a nice read. It is unthreatening and sweet. There are grandchildren. There are adult daughters. There is an ex husband (how did your Julie ever hook up with that guy?). There are flowers. There are people who, while they apparently run small businesses (into the ground), don't really have to keep business hours or worry their heads about stuff except as it fits the plot.
All of that is typical fun chic lit.
And to have a main character who is a passionate 60 year old woman? Very cool, though I was sort of uncomfortably imagining the reactions of the 20 something readers to the sex scenes. I mean, are they going to react the way I did when my older, 10 year old, bff explained the sex act to me ("NOOOO, our parents would Never Do That!!!")?
And lots of weddings and sort of weddings? Well,isn't that fun?
It's a respectably written fun book, and I will probably look for others by Ray. But..gosh, don't bring your daughter into it, okay?
December 10, 2014
"What's in a name ? That which we call a rose by any other word would still be as sweet" ~~~~~William Shakespeare , Romeo and Juliet. This story is another take on Shakespeare's play,it is not however a bunch of teenagers in "Westside Story " no Julie and Romeo are in their 60s and both have Grandchildren ,Julie is Jewish and has been divorced for many years,Romeo is Italian and his Wife has died a few years ago.their families have been rival florists and hated each other for three generations but they can't remember why. Julie and Romeo bump into each other at a small business seminar,share a cup of coffee at Starbucks ( where else? ) and one thing leads to another,they fall in love ( yes,I know it's shocking that people of that age would do such a thing ?) and their Children start up the age old feud again, but nothing can stop their love. This is a story for Children of all age's.
April 13, 2011
I thought this was a fun story that reminds us that our parents are just older versions of ourselves. Someday we will be that age and want to be treated with respect and not be regarded as complete loons when we do something out of the ordinary that everyone is used to. I also loved that the main character looked at a long-standing family feud and worked to stop the cycle of anger. I have never been in such a powerfully angry situation but I can not imagine the toll it takes on you to be sooo angry with someone. Lucky me! May I stay so oblivious for a long time!
warning: had some language and 60 yr old spiciness
warning: had some language and 60 yr old spiciness
February 6, 2017
Easy romantic read for February
May 6, 2009
A wonderful story of love finding a slightly older couple@! Julie and Romeo's families, both in the flower business, have a longstanding feud, the origins of which everyone's forgotten. Their grown children are aghast when they fall in love--will true love prevail? The sequel, Julie and Romeo get Lucky, is also wonderful. All of Jeanne Ray's books are a treat--especially Eat Cake.
June 16, 2011
I read this at a friend's house and it's a delightful book. First, I loved it because it isn't often someone writes a romance for my age group. And the history (mostly bad) between these two families makes the romance between the star-crossed lovers hilarious. Fortunately, it turns out better than Shakespeare's version! This is a good, fun read.
November 25, 2008
My favorite author! Jeanne Ray proves you can have a brand new unexpected career later in life. All of her women are amazing strong characters.
May 2, 2021
Sweet little romantic story about a man and woman dating in their 60s. To play on the title, their families are "at war." Easily read in an afternoon. Perfect for summer.
January 2, 2024
My first book of 2024! A sweet love story.
March 13, 2024
Julie and Romeo is an enemies-to-lovers romance with the odds stacked against them… surprise? If you didn’t pick up on the Romeo and Juliet vibes from the title, what rock have you been hiding under?
For as long as Julie Roth can remember her family has always been in a feud… and not the televised gameshow kind… with another flower shop in their town owned by the the Cacciamani family. Her parents, Julie’s ex-husband Mort and herself, and now into their children’s generation have bickered and fussed… but the question why are they fighting? The fight becomes even less important when Romeo Cacciamani and Julie start dating. The two go so well together so what’s up with the family rivalry? This is the story of how their love fairs amid a 3 generation battle with a twist ending.
This book is interesting because it is a romance about an older couple which isn’t necessarily front and center at your local bookstore. We hear all about young love, but people of all ages can find love.
Recommendations
Classics
It's the tale as old as time, if you like Romeo and Juliet and want a new spin on the classic check Julie and Romeo out.
Flower Shop Books
I am on a flower shop romance kick; however, Julie and Romeo exhausts my current collection so if you know of any good flower shop romance let me know. I picked this up after reading Forget Me Not, and it took me a minute to finish. Not because it wasn’t good, I was entirely invested every time I started reading Julie and Romeobut it sat there and waited for me to find time whereas other books gripped me to continue reading right now!
If you like your romance to have a floral atmosphere I’d recommend Forget Me Not about a Florist and a Wedding Planner taking a second chance at love in a forced proximity romance. I’d also recommend Practice Makes Perfect where a small-town florist and a famous bodyguard strike a deal to teach her how to get the relationship she wants which turns into a fake relationship.
For as long as Julie Roth can remember her family has always been in a feud… and not the televised gameshow kind… with another flower shop in their town owned by the the Cacciamani family. Her parents, Julie’s ex-husband Mort and herself, and now into their children’s generation have bickered and fussed… but the question why are they fighting? The fight becomes even less important when Romeo Cacciamani and Julie start dating. The two go so well together so what’s up with the family rivalry? This is the story of how their love fairs amid a 3 generation battle with a twist ending.
This book is interesting because it is a romance about an older couple which isn’t necessarily front and center at your local bookstore. We hear all about young love, but people of all ages can find love.
Recommendations
Classics
It's the tale as old as time, if you like Romeo and Juliet and want a new spin on the classic check Julie and Romeo out.
Flower Shop Books
I am on a flower shop romance kick; however, Julie and Romeo exhausts my current collection so if you know of any good flower shop romance let me know. I picked this up after reading Forget Me Not, and it took me a minute to finish. Not because it wasn’t good, I was entirely invested every time I started reading Julie and Romeobut it sat there and waited for me to find time whereas other books gripped me to continue reading right now!
If you like your romance to have a floral atmosphere I’d recommend Forget Me Not about a Florist and a Wedding Planner taking a second chance at love in a forced proximity romance. I’d also recommend Practice Makes Perfect where a small-town florist and a famous bodyguard strike a deal to teach her how to get the relationship she wants which turns into a fake relationship.
July 7, 2019
(Abridged version read)
A really sweet - without being sugary or cutesy - tale about middle aged romance (is 60 middle age or old age? I'm nearly there so opting for middle!). Julie & Romeo's families have been feuding for years but no-one really knows why. When Julie & Romeo meet up its love at first sight but surprisingly their warring families aren't too chuffed with their burgeoning romance.
I read a condensed version of the story & at only 126 pages, I don't know how much of the storyline is missing- though as other copies show 300 pages I guess I'm quite a chunk! - anyhow it made sense as a novella. The cover blurb said "It's a quick breezy read, a little jewel of a book" & I'd agree with that 😊
A really sweet - without being sugary or cutesy - tale about middle aged romance (is 60 middle age or old age? I'm nearly there so opting for middle!). Julie & Romeo's families have been feuding for years but no-one really knows why. When Julie & Romeo meet up its love at first sight but surprisingly their warring families aren't too chuffed with their burgeoning romance.
I read a condensed version of the story & at only 126 pages, I don't know how much of the storyline is missing- though as other copies show 300 pages I guess I'm quite a chunk! - anyhow it made sense as a novella. The cover blurb said "It's a quick breezy read, a little jewel of a book" & I'd agree with that 😊
March 5, 2020
This is obviously a Romeo and Juliet retelling, and it was really good. In this version, they are two competing flower shops that hate each other and the protagonists are middle-aged adults who are trying to fight the urge to be together. There is some drama, some hilarious moments. In the end, we find out the shocking reason behind the feud, which I will not reveal. However, it does have a happy ending where the families come together. In this version, Romeo and Julie end up together, happy, and not dead which is nice.
August 12, 2019
This was a fun read and not too overly heavy handed. Julie and Romeo are both competing florists with families who have hated each other for years but no one knows how it started. Julie and Romeo fall in love at 60 and both sides of the family object making it almost impossible for them to see each other. Both characters tough it out, despite the obstacles but true love never comes easily in stories, does it?
January 10, 2024
This one was in an old stack of paperbacks I’d bought at the Friends of the Library sale for easy airplane reading. I had no idea when I bought it that the author is Ann Patchett’s mother, and that she published it, her debut novel, at the age of 60. It’s cute and harmless and celebrates love between 60-something’s, so - cheers for that.
July 12, 2019
Very fun, light reading. Lots of laughs. The main characters are in their 60s which is an enjoyable perspective.
November 25, 2019
Sweet romance between two middle aged lovers whose families have been at odds for three generations.
October 11, 2020
Adorbs.
July 31, 2021
The Hatfields and the McCoys didn’t sell flowers, but if they did, and they lived in Massachusetts, they’d be the Rosemans and the Cacciamanis. Rival florists in a suburb of Boston for three generations(and heading into a fourth) the two waged war against each other, in both subtle and overt ways. Stealing each other’s accounts to physically destroying flowers.
THIS REVIEW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
THIS REVIEW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
February 24, 2025
I was smiling much of the time while reading this book. A sweet story, quick read. I loved the pictures of flowers at the start of many of the chapters.
April 19, 2025
a very weak 3 stars. you can tell this was written by a middle aged woman... perhaps if i read this later in life i would've enjoyed it more.
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